


Rediscover

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Galra Keith (Voltron), M/M, Navigating Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-05
Updated: 2016-11-05
Packaged: 2018-08-29 00:16:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8468521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: When it's uncovered that Keith is part-Galran, it takes some time for Shiro to adjust.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HedonistInk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HedonistInk/gifts).



When Shiro finds out, there is no screaming, no wide-eyed terror, no angry rejection. Shiro doesn’t treat Keith like he’s betrayed him. What happens is worse: His expression closes, like a door slammed shut, and he becomes the leader of the team. He reassures Keith that this does not change anything, touches his shoulder, doesn’t flinch when his fingers brush against Keith’s fur. He says exactly what he needs to calm the rest of the team down -- we can trust Keith -- he needs us just as much as we need him --

And, as soon as he is able, he is out the door, down into the depths of the castle. 

Keith doesn’t blame him. He wouldn’t blame any of them for shooting him out of the airlock just for the implications: He could be a sleeper agent. He could’ve been lying the entire time. He could’ve been told where the Blue Lion was and drew them there intentionally. Of course he doesn’t blame Shiro, but it hurts. It's a greater loss than that of his humanity. Keith’s never really belonged there, anyway, always on the edge looking in. It was only ever Shiro -- and, in time, the others -- who made him feel like he might belong.

Things don’t go back to normal, but it’s close enough to surprise Keith. Lance tries to rile him up at every opportunity; Hunk tries to make him laugh. Pidge is probably the one who acts the most different, but that’s only because she tries to run him through a rigor of tests in the first week after until he loses his temper with her. 

And Shiro, well -- he smiles at Keith, and trains with him. He finds him in all of the quiet places he used to, and sits with him. But he doesn’t say a word about what Keith is, now. He is careful not to touch Keith, unless it is an intentional and premeditated action. Keith can see the guilt eating Shiro away, and he wonders if it will eat at them both until there is nothing left. He speaks gently. He sits a little farther away from Shiro. He will forgive Shiro everything, so long as Shiro can forgive him this. 

*

They're training when it finally happens: Keith throws Shiro and rests the point of his sword on Shiro's chest. "Ha," he says, too winded for much else. He grins, his teeth flashing.

Shiro snaps. His arm glows hot; he spins, tripping Keith. Instead of going in for the kill, he surprises Keith: He runs.

"Shiro!"

The door slips shut behind him. 

Well, Keith thinks, dropping his head in his hands. It could've been worse. He stands and follows after a few moments, jogging through the halls, but Shiro is not in any of his usual haunts. With each empty room, Keith's heart picks up a little speed. Finally, he skids to a stop and turns, sprinting for Pidge's lab. She'll have access to the ship's cameras -- she's used it to find people before.

But Pidge cringes when she hears the story and sighs when she's pulled up the cameras. "He's either in a bathroom somewhere or a closet somewhere. I'm sorry, he's not on here. Do you think he's going to be okay? Do we need to help find him?" The last question is focused, sharp.

Keith hesitates, then shakes his head. "No," he says, "no, I don't think it's that bad. Yet. Thanks, Pidge." 

He leaves, running through a list of every bathroom that he knows about, wondering how many he doesn't know about. Keith has nothing but time, though, so he starts to run again, skidding to a stop at every one and banging on the door, calling Shiro's name. 

But it's Shiro who finds him, rounding a corner so sharply that Keith nearly flattens him. Shiro catches him by the arms, though, taking the momentum with a grunt. For a moment, they simply stare at each other, Keith stunned into silence, Shiro weighing the situation. "We need to talk," he says. 

*

Shiro leans against the wall next to his door; it's not very subtle. Keith isn't going to try to run from this conversation. He sits on the edge of Shiro's bed, rests his elbows on his knees, and waits. 

Shiro takes a deep breath. "I know you're not one of them."

Keith's stomach drops. He waits for the _but_ that is sure to follow.

"I know...that you're a paladin, and the best pilot on this team. I know that I can trust you with my life." Shiro straightens away from the door, his gaze steadily trained on Keith's face. "I would, in a second." He starts to walk towards Keith, slow and steady. "I know that you're my friend. And I know that, if it were up to either of us, you would never hurt me and I would never hurt you." He pauses, lifting his left arm towards Keith's face. 

Keith is frozen in place. 

"This isn't your fault," he says. "Okay?" 

"It isn't yours, either!" Keith stands, his chest bumping into Shiro's, their faces close. "I don't care if I scare you, Shiro. It's fine! Just -- stop pretending you're _okay_ with this!"

"I'm not scared of you, Keith," Shiro says, his voice steady. 

Keith scoffs. "Really? Prove it!" 

He doesn't expect this to be the proof: Shiro catches Keith's shirt, tugs him onto his toes, and kisses him.

Keith doesn't -- can't -- process what just happened for several seconds, Shiro's lips dry and chapped against his, his breath coming in hot puffs like he's been running. Then, he clutches at Shiro's shirt, kissing back even though he doesn't understand, _why now_ \-- is this right or good for Shiro, is this right or good for Keith -- 

Shiro's hands slide up through the fur on his face; he wraps his hand around one of Keith's ears and pulls, not hard -- just enough to make Keith yelp and pull back. There isn't time for him to wonder if it's because Shiro wants to stop, because Shiro immediately starts pressing kisses to Keith's neck, nuzzling and pressing against him, pressing him back until they stumble back onto the bed.

Keith wraps his legs around Shiro's waist, panting hard, losing his sense of time and place, knowing only Shiro -- Shiro's hot hands sliding through the fur on his arms, his desperate mouth and tongue. "Shiro," he gasps, bucking up, his cock grinding against Shiro's hips.

"Wanted to do this for so long," Shiro says. "And then you -- you were -- " He stops himself, kissing Keith again. His hands slide down to fumble with Keith's belt. "It doesn't matter," he says under his breath, between wet kisses along Keith's jaw. They are coming together, Shiro's body red-hot, his cock grinding against Keith's with quick, shallow thrusts. "It doesn't matter."

For the first time, Keith believes him. 

*

That isn't the end of it. Keith wouldn't expect it to be. There will be times that he can't be the one to comfort Shiro; there will be times that Shiro touches him and recoils. But now Keith knows what he's always known: They've got each other's backs. They always will. 


End file.
